


A Meeting of the Mods

by SRSobotka



Category: Glitch Techs (Cartoon)
Genre: Gen, Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-17
Updated: 2021-02-17
Packaged: 2021-03-13 04:15:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,386
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29520723
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SRSobotka/pseuds/SRSobotka
Summary: Russell discovers some unregistered Plixel Tech, and learns of the prior "threat" from Ridley, when she tried to steal a Level One Gauntlet. What does he have in mind to deal with the problem?
Relationships: Miko Kubota | Me-K.O. & Original Character(s)





	A Meeting of the Mods

**A Meeting of the Mods: Part 1**

**A Glitch Techs story / © 2020/2021**  
**by Stephen R. Sobotka**

**Disclaimer!** : This is a fan fiction, based on characters, settings and situations from the Nickelodeon-made and Netflix animated series “Glitch Techs”; created by Eric Robles & Dan Milano. This has been written solely for other fans of the series to enjoy, not to gain profit for the author. All characters, with exception of any that I have created for these stories, are TM and Copyrighted by Nickelodeon & Netflix, and are used without their knowledge.

Please don't sue, since this was done as a tribute to the spirit of the original manga and animated show.

Author’s Note : Hope everyone enjoyed the first story! This one’s going to be some fun, some serious, and hopefully a fan-favorite to read and re-read over again.

With that said, Let’s get this show on the road! Enjoy! -- SRS

# xOx #

_The Western Part of Warehouse Row, City of Bailey . . . ._

  
A segment of corrugated tin-roofing burst from it’s seating with a CLANG!, as a cartoony, armor-clad figure burst into the open air. “Gad-ZOOKS! THOU hast nearly Did me in!” Sir Arthur-B shouted, making his over-sized mustaches wiggle. Twisting in mid-air to avoid a volley of blaster beams. “Have AT THEE, Vandal!” He made an oversized lance appear in his hand, and he launched it down through the opening he’d just made in the warehouse roof.

Down below, Mitch Williams blinked and grunted as he threw himself to the side, narrowly avoiding the lance as it impacted on the concrete near him. “Ooh, you miserable lil’-!” He snapped off two more shots from his gauntlet, but missed as the video-game Glitch leapt away and out of view. “Blast! I hate Old School Games!” He crouched and leaped for the opening; crabbing for a moment as he found a foothold, bursting into open air with a gasp. Landing on the rooftop, he swept his eyes back and forth, and spied the fleeing Glitch several meters away from him.

Sir Arthur-B turned and made a mocking laugh. “Ye’ll NEVER catch me, Foole!”

Mitch just grinned darkly. “That’s what they all say . . . until I catch up to them!” He reached over, swiping his gauntlet’s touch-screen to bring up a “modification” menu. He dragged a slider marked “speed boost” to well past its stopping place, and flexed a bit. “Got to love Overclocking!” With that, he suddenly burst forwards, his body moving at an amazing speed.

Surprised, Sir Arthur-B made a sound of alarm, before saying, “ZOUNDS! The Varlet has wings like Mercury!” He doubled his effort and took off running faster than before.

The two zigged, zagged and shot across roof tops -- bouncing between chimney stacks, rolling up and down inclines -- each jockeying for any advantage they could get. At one point, Sir Arthur-B managed to carom off an A/C unit; double-backed over his original trajectory, which nearly left Mitch to smash into the unit at full speed. Yet, Mitch managed to angle himself, snag the edge of the roof and whiplash himself back into the chance.

“Oh HO! THOU Art Fleet of FOOTE, KNAVE!”

Mitch flashed along the rooftop, looking like a blur of light as he rapidly closed in on the Glitch. “Give up, you techno-dweeb! This is only gonna end in one way: me, kicking your Plixel-loaded buttocks into next week!”

Turning on an angle, Sir Arthur-B growled and snapped several lances into existence. “Only, if, THOU, can, catch, ME, Villain!” With each word, the Glitch threw a lance at Mitch, but the weapons careened off the roof and anything else nearby, missing Mitch by a mile.

“Heh, if you insist!” Mitch aimed his gauntlet -- leading the quick-moving knight by a few feet -- and snapped off three more shots.

The Glitch dropped and bounded, and barely avoided the first two shots. “HAH-AH! Is that the BEST you can D-OOOMP!!!” He couldn’t dodge the last shot, which slammed into his chest and sent him flying over the side of the roof. With a cry of pain, Sir Arthur-B crashed through a stack of boxes, rolled hard against the pavement and came to a skidding, groaning, pain-filled halt some meters from the warehouse he’d fallen from. 

Mitch grinned, coming to a stop as he quickly made an adjustment to his gauntlet. “Can’t afford to fry you now,” he muttered. He then gave the stunned Glitch a further leer. “Looks like it’s . . . Game Ove-AAAH!” His words were chopped off as a shadow suddenly flashed overhead, making him duck out of reflex.

On the ground, Sir Arthur-B was getting back to his knees -- his bearded face twisting up in a grimace -- when he switched his gaze from Mitch to something overhead . . . and he had just one split-second to gasp and say, “Gad-ZOOKS!”, when a wide, purple capture beam slammed into existence around him. With a howl if despair, the Medieval Themed Glitch was vacuumed up, and sucked into the capture-lens of a Glitch Tech gauntlet.

**“//GLITCH CONTAINED\\\”**

Only problem, at least as far as Mitch was concerned, that the gauntlet wasn’t his!

“Aaauugh!” Mitch glared up at the hovering form in the air above the rooftop. “Blast you, Russell! That Glitch was mine!”

Slowly turning around, his exo-suit’s GEV-system keeping him airborne as he peered down at his rival, Russell Stepan gave Mitch a small smirk. “Correct, in that it was yours, Mitch Williams. But, you also realize that it is only belonging to the Tech that actually makes the capture, _ano?_ ”

Seething, Mitch strode to the edge of the roof and pointed at Russell. “You just give that Glitch back! I worked my backside off, tracking it down and-!”

“And, realizing just how ‘fair’ the world can be, when your own tactics are played against you,” Russell said, slowly lowering himself until he and Mitch were more or less eye-to-eye. With a chuckle, Russell added, “Does not feel all together good, does it not?”

Mitch nearly reached up to pull his hair out by the roots, but he stopped himself, growling under his breath as he glared at Russell. “That’s the fourth time today you griefed my capture! How long are you going to do this to me?”

“Until you learn a little humility . . . perhaps some greater sense of charity towards your fellow Techs, _ne?_ ” Russell said evenly. “Stealing their captures may have put you on the leader board, but I know better than most on how to handle your type of tactics.”

Scowling, Mitch turned his back on Russell and crossed his arms over his chest. “Pfft! Whatever! I’m still the best Glitch Tech in the entire community! Even using my sort of tactics won’t help you beat me in the end!”

With a look that screamed ‘o-rly?’, Russell just snorted. “We shall soon see, Mitch Williams.” Just then, the comm-app on his gauntlet chirped, and he tapped it quickly to reply, “ _Ano?_ What is it now?”

“ _Hey, Russell! Miko and I are after some Spawners near the park!_ ” the voice of Hector said. “ _You want in?_ ”

“Be right there, team-mate,” Russell said. He gave Mitch a side-eye look. “Spawners usually swarm in larger numbers,” he said mildly. “If you were to follow, you’d probably get there in time to snag some X-P points.”

Mitch merely grunted in reply.

“As they say, suit yourself then.” Russell turned and gunned his GEV-thrusters, heading off into the direction of the park.

With a snort, Mitch turned around and watched Russell fly away. He grumbled, then reached up to smack the side of his face in embarrassment. “Oooooh, boosh,” he said to himself. Shaking his head, he turned and moved to jump down from the roof to return to his Tech Van . . . .

# xOx #

_Ridley’s Home, City of Bailey;_  
_Several Days Later . . . ._

  
Coming in through the front door, the brown-haired pre-teen paused for a moment, taking stock of where her parents were -- in the usual places, in the den and the kitchen, respectively -- before she quickly and stealthily made her way past them to the stairwell.

She glanced back at the doorway, when her Father said, “Any word on how our Kitten is doing in her classes?”.

“Oh, she seems to be doing better, dear,” Her mother said. “I’m glad she’s past all that moping she did some weeks back. It was really putting a damper on her grades!”

Ridley growled under her breath, but didn’t stop until she reached the upper floor. Upon reaching it without any further incident, she opened her bedroom door and slipped inside.

Once there, Ridley took a moment to securely close her door, lock it behind her, and pause to remove her hoodie and backpack before sighing in relief. “Finally! Sooo done with school . . . and successfully avoiding the parents!” she groused, before tossing her pack and hoodie over to her bed. She removed her omni-pad from her pocket, while saying aloud: “Engage workshop mode.”.

Her bedroom flickered and appeared to dissolve into Plexil-lines, before resolving into a more-Spartan space with one side dominated her work desk with its computer workstation; which was connected to the “hacked” Hinobi console nearby. Walking towards it, she flicked a button on her omni-pad, and a glowing line of energy snaked out to reform into Horn. “Hey, fuzz-face,” she said softly, patting the modded, Plexil construct between its ears. “Miss me?”

Horn meowed brightly, rubbing its head against her fingers.

Ridley smiled briefly, before turning around to take a seat at her desk. She sighed deeply, before reaching out to bring it out of sleep-mode; tapping a sequence of keys as she muttered. “I had to endure another day of blah-blah-UGH! at school, just so I could get home to do this.”. She turned as the open aperture of the Hinobi console glowed, before it spat out a ring-shaped object that she quickly retrieved. “It’s been a while, but since I started to get the hang of this-!.” She paused, slipping the ring over her wrist and activating a slider on its side, which triggered the Plexil-object to transform into a full-sized Glitch-Tech gauntlet. “Yes!” Ridley said with a triumphant air. “No degradation, and . . . it still works!”. She watched as the gauntlet’s view screen came alive with its standard Hinobi logo.

“Maow?” Horn seemed to ask, peering at Ridley’s new object.

“Don’t you see, Horn?” Ridley turned to her Chomp-Kitty companion. “With this, I can actually start making newer and better versions of constructs, augmented with my mods! I can even start to rebuild my Ridley Empire . . . after the last two failed attempts.” She frowned, recalling the last attempt with a sour thought. “I’ve got to be more careful. I can’t just start around any old, abandoned location! Not like the last few times.”. She shook her head savagely. “Fortunately, this gauntlet’s memory-reset function took care of the last dweebs that stumbled on my work!”.

Horn cocked its head at her, seeming to comprehend her words. “Mow.”

“Yeah, I know . . . security has really, really got to be tight this time!” She scowled, looking askance at the monitor on her computer; where a slowly, spinning Hinobi “H” was displayed. “No way I can let those Glitch-Techs find my new hiding place.” She smacked a fist down into the palm of her other hand. “Good thing I keep this place shielded! Though . . . I gotta wonder,” she said, looking down at the gauntlet on her hand. “Does this thing even have its own signal jamming or shielding or something?”. She turned and slid the gauntlet off her hand, before replacing it into the aperture field on the console. “Well . . . something to worry about later! It should be okay here,” she reasoned. “I’ll just have to be careful when I head out.”.

“Meew?” Horn meowed quizzically.

“Oh don’t worry!” Ridley turned and gave Horn a pat. “You’re coming with me, but first . . . I need to download a few of my Mod Files!”. She grinned as her fingers flew over the keyboard. “Ones that should make rebuilding my new hideout go a lot smoother!”.

# xOx #

A half hour after her arrival at home, Ridley left her room -- once again clad in her hoodie, and shouldering her backpack -- and headed downstairs. She was walking towards the front door, when her mother called out: “Ridley? Is that you, dear? We’re going to have dinner in an hour or so!”.

Turning, Ridley replied, “Don’t worry, I’m just going down to see . . . um, a friend! Yeah, I left some notes with them about tomorrows pop quiz! I’ll be back soon!”. She continued walking, reaching the door just as her mother replied.

“Okay, well don’t dawdle, honey! Your father doesn’t like it when you’re late, you know!”.

“I’ll be back in due time! Bye!” Ridley slipped out the door, closing it before she dashed around the corner of the house. She flicked her omni-pad out, summoning Horn so she could slip onto their back. “Okay! Let’s go make the Ridley-Empire live again, Horn!” She aimed the omni-pad ahead of them, triggering another switch that caused a glowing, pink portal to appear. With a nudge, Horn leaped through the portal; carrying them both through it, before it vanished from view.

# xOx #

_Glitch Tech HQ Main Level,_  
_HInobi Games: Store #20221_  
_Some Time Later . . . ._

  
With a groan, Mitch looked up at the leader board with blazing eyes. “Aaah, bollocks! I don’t believe this!” He was staring at the listings for the Cumulative XP Earned . . . and his name wasn’t on the first slot, because **Team FI_K.O._ &_CO** was the new leader board leaders. By a wide margin, too.

Mitch dropped to his elbows on the main console, letting his head bang against the surface with a moan of suffering and pain. “How, can, this, happen!?” He muttered, before raising his head to scowl at the screen. “I am MITCH WILLIAMS! I’m the BEST gamer in this whole city!”

From behind him, a pair of voices making a tut-tut sound made him spin around, looking for -- and finding -- the two responsible for his current state of embarrassment. “Great . . . the dweebs,” he groaned.

“Gee, Dingle-berry, I guess you’re not THE best gamer in Bailey,” Miko Kubota said with a grin. “Not any more, at least.”

“Miko! Let’s not make Mitch any more unhappy as he already is,” Hector Nieves said. “Besides,” he added, crossing his arms over his chest. “It’s enough to know he can’t stand his own brand of medicine, any more than we could.”

Mitch frowned. “You two . . . are SO going to regret this! I’ll get back on top again! Just you watch,” he said snidely. Walking away, it was clear he was fuming like a chimney stack, as mad as he was.

Miko stuck her tongue out at his retreating form, saying in a low voice, “Good luck with that, you rager.”

Hector said, “Miko, don’t you think that’s enough?”

Miko just shrugged, before she turned to start walking across the main part of the lobby. “Hey, any day Mitch Williams has a bad day, I say it’s a good day for the rest of us.”

Shaking his head, Hector sighed and followed after her. “Well, hopefully all he’ll do is just try to rack up more X-P, rather than do something drastic.” He looked up at the leader-board with a smile of satisfaction. “Though, it does look good to be on top for a change, hey?”

Miko nodded. “As well, I’m really diggin’ the new team name!” She grinned at Hector. “Zahra had the best idea, didn’t she?”

Hector couldn’t help the slight flush of blush on his cheeks, when Zahra was mentioned. “Um, yeah . . . She, ah, has some great ideas!” He ‘oofed’ when Miko nudged him in the ribs. “What?”

“I think someone likes having her as a team-mate!” Miko chuckled at the totally embarrassed expression on Hector’s face, but she quickly sobered and said, “Actually I think both of our new team-mates are making a good showing for us all.”

Nodding, Hector said, “True. I mean, Russell’s been the real surprise! All the tips, knowledge and stuff he knows!?” He made a low whistle. “Some of it I didn’t even know existed.”

“Well, nerds of a feather, do flock together,” Miko said sagely. Her face then lit up with a smile. “Speaking of which, isn’t Russell’s shift in the shop due to end soon!?”

Hector just chuckled. “Now, who’s all fixated on our ‘team-mate’, huh?” he asked.

Miko just smiled. “Well, can’t help it if I admire his gaming acumen.”

Hector just snorted, grinning as he said softly, “I don’t think that’s the right word, Miko.” Clearing his throat, he said aloud, “But, yeah, I think his shift in the Repair shop’s over in a few minutes.”

Miko nodded. “Cool.” Then she bopped Hector on the shoulder, before dashing off towards a hallway. “Race ya!”

Hector blinked, somewhat slow to recover as he realized what she’d done. “Hey! No fair!” he called out after her as he took to his heels to follow . . . .

# xOx #

_The Repair Shop, Glitch Tech HQ Main Level, A Few Minutes After . . . ._

  
Shutting the case of another Hinobi console, Russell Stepan made a sound of satisfaction as he used a powered driver to tighten the screws to close it completely. With a nod, he replaced the tool in its rack, before lifting the console to give it a final inspection. “There, one more for the ‘complete’ list,” he told himself. Wheeling himself away from the one side of his workbench, he put the console in a stowage shelf, and marked a job-tag before he slapped in on the side of the console.

Turning back around, he started to roll over to where he desk section was, when the inter-comm resounded with the ‘admittance’ tone.

“Hm?” He checked his watch -- noting the time with a grin -- before sliding over to press the speaker key. “Repairs, Russell speaking,” he said.

“ _Hey, Russell! You too busy to unlock your door!?_ ” the voice of Miko said from the comm-set. There was a spate of laughter, before Miko said, “ _Told ya I’d beat you, Fives!_ ”

Another voice -- this one gasping for air -- panted before replying, “ _Miko! Could you try to . . . just be a little more . . . geez! You didn’t . . . give me enough of a warning!_ ”

A full-fledged grin spread across Russell’s face, and he just laughed softly. “Try not to expire on my doorstop, please?” Amid the sounds of sputtering -- from Hector -- and Miko’s own laughing, He shifted a bit to reach across his computer console; hitting the release-control for the door. “Stand clear the doors, they are opening now.”

“ _Finally!_ ” Miko said, and he could hear the scuffing of footsteps over the inter-comm.

Releasing the speaker key, Russell just smiled, before he briefly turned his attention to the main view screen, tapping several commands into it with quick keystrokes. “Better to start this, before those two get here.” He’d barely gotten them all in, before he heard the sound of running feet behind him . . . then the sudden-if-restrained impact of someone tackling him from behind!

“OOF!” Prepared as he was, it was still a forceful pounce & hug around his shoulders that nearly drove him into the desktop. “Miko!”.

The purple-haired Japanese-American girl laughed as she peered around from behind him. “Hi.” With a less forceful hug, she beamed at him and asked, “Did’ja miss me? Did’ja miss ME?”

With barely a pause, Russell just quipped, “Nope.” He followed it with a brief hug in return, before looking over as Hector limped gamely into view. “She had you out matched again, eh?”

“Hooo! You know it . . . Ahhh, Miko, _Quieto!_ Girl! Your gonna wear me out someday!”.

Miko let go of Russell long enough to step back and regard her partner. “Sorry, Fives . . . um, guess I was just excited to get back here.”

“So you keep saying,” Hector said. “Just, try to tone your excitement down, okay? I’m sure Russell has more important things to do before the end of his shift. Right?” He looked over at Russell, who was just sitting there with a lop-sided smile.

“Actually, Hector, I don’t mind the sudden company.” He winked at Miko. “Especially when it is _Malý Králičina_ and you. It helps the time go faster.” He saw the confused expression on Hector’s face and said. “Oh, Is meaning Little Rabbit.”

“Aww, you have a nickname for me!?” Miko asked, grinned all gooshy-like. “Wait, do you have one for Aly, too?”.

“Your companion pet?” Russell chuckled. “Little _Sokol_. Falcon. Though she’s more like the swooping eagle, so I am told.”

“Yep!” Miko grinned. “That’s Me Birdy!”

Hector shook his head, then looked at the older teen with apology written all over his face. “Sorry, Russell, just that . . . she gets super excited about being around you. And, she’s been wanting to come back here every since-.”.

“The day we bagged EvulStar, ano?” Russell nodded, while making a small gesture to a pair of stools under one of the workstation’s shelves. “Not to worry. Miko learned a few things about me, after the Glitch was contained. I do not blame her for being so . . . enthusiastic.” Watching as the two took their seats, he added, Besides, is good to have new friends, especially after being so focused on my work here.” He nodded to Miko. “Took some good advice to make me see this, ano?”.

Miko grinned and hooked her feet around the legs of her seat, and leaned forward with her hands on her knees. “First rule of the Universe: Always listen to Miko.”.

Hector slapped a hand over his face. “Ay-yi. Well, what are you doing right now, exactly?” he asked. “I figured you’d be repairing more of our tech and gear?”.

“I actually finished up the last of the work orders just now.” Russell said, “yet, still I have to re-calibrate the main sensors before I can join the two of you.” He turned and motioned towards the console he’d originally been seated at. “Has to be done every week, or else they will mis-align.”.

“That’s . . . a bad thing, right?” Hector asked.

“Can be. If we miss a Glitch’s emergence, or--.” Russell paused, frowning as he faced a side display that had popped into existence.

“What’s wrong?” Miko asked.

“Not certain, but . . . a moment, please?” He turned to face the main screen, and his fingers flew across the keyboard and control console in front of it. On the screen, a plethora of data flew across it -- looking like multi-colored patterns in a digital kaleidoscope.

Both Hector and Miko looked at each other, before looking back in an attempt to understand the information flowing before their eyes. “Uh, Russell . . . ?”. Hector trailed off as the larger teen raised one hand to make a halting gesture, before returning to his intense scrutiny of the data.

In a moment, Russell suddenly slammed both hands on the desk and snarled something in Czech; something neither Hector or Miko could translate, but the dark tone clearly spoke of the fact that he was angry.

Very, Angry!

“How could HE let this happen!?” Russell snapped. He hit a few more keys, then snatched up a thumb-sized data drive that had ejected from the console a moment later. “He KNOWS the consequences of this . . . this--!” Shoving back against the desk, Russell reached down and pressed a key on his gauntlet.

Both Hector and Fives looked on with alarm, half-rising out of their seats. “Russell, um, Sir--?”.

“Not just now, Friend!” As his wheelchair reconfigured itself into the exo-frame supports for his legs and feet, he levered himself into a standing position, fuming as he waited for all the the bits and pieces of Plixel-form material finished moving. “Excuse me, I must have STRONG words, with our manager!”. With that, he spun around -- barely acknowledging the shocked and alarmed looks on his friends faces -- and practically stomped out of the repair bay.

# xOx #

Phil leaned back in his chair with a sigh of contentment; a full cup of coffee on the blotter, and a small cardboard box with a selection of donuts resting inside. He grinned, flexing his fingers as he muttered, “Break time!”. He reached out for the nearest ring of confectionery-goodness (albeit 2nd-day, reduced-priced goodness), and was about to pluck it from the box--.

_**“*BANG!*”** _

The door to Phil’s office flew open, leaving him looking up with a stunned expression at the scowling visage of Russell -- standing with the aid of his exo-frame -- who had his finger pointing accusingly at the older adult. “What, have, you, DONE!?”.

Blinking, Phil asked, “Ahhh, what, exactly . . . Russell? Why are you angry?”

Stomping across the space between the doorway and Phil’s desk, Russell came to a seething halt in front of Phil. “This! This is why I am so _odstřelil_ angry!”. He slapped the side of Phil’s monitor, twisting it around to expose a USB port. He then jammed his data drive into it, before punching a quick succession of commands on the nearby keyboard. “I have been running re-calibration sensor sweeps, to check our sensors as well as all active Tech equipment and gear.” He started pointedly at Phil. “You have never taken my warnings seriously, before now,” Russell growled, thrusting a finger at the display. “Now, THIS has happened!”.

Phil just stared -- his attention only peripherally noticing that Miko and Hector had both come to the office doorway -- and upon seeing a map of the town-proper, he blinked when he spied several icons that were registering a signal.

A very familiar-looking, portal signal! Which was preceded by another familiar looking frequency!

Phil groaned, then laughed meekly under Russell’s scowling countenance. “Ah-heh, well . . . look at that. A Glitch-Techs signal.”

“Um, what’s going on?” Miko asked. She took an involuntary step back when Russell snorted and smacked the desktop with a closed fist.

“Apart from the fact is a Glitch-signature, is also an unregistered -- need I say, UN-authorized! -- signal from a Glitch-Tech Level-1 gauntlet!” Russell said, tempering his temper as he replied to Phil. “I have a running register on every, single piece of Glitch-Tech hardware that gets issued or put into the field. Would very much like to know HOW a gauntlet got activated, without being properly registered to our data base!?”.

By now, Phil had recovered, and had stood up to fire of a stark look of displeasure of his own. “Look, there’s no way I or anyone else would have let a Level-1 Gauntlet get released. Not to anyone. Certainly NOT without having the user data active in our servers!”.

Jerking his head at the monitor, Russell countered, asking, “Then, tell me what this is? _Latkes_ in the park!? Someone in the recent months has either acquired or stolen one of our gauntlets, and is triggering Glitches in close proximity with it! We both know what that means, Ano? If Corporate learns of it . . . ?”. He nodded curtly at the sudden, stricken look that washed over Phil’s face.

“Ah, ah-heh . . . Russell, look,” Phil said meekly. “You . . . you’re not going to report this to Corporate, are you? I-I mean, or report that this is m-my fault? Right? They’d shut us down in a heartbeat-!” He stopped talking when Russell held up a hand.

“Fault of whom is not important,” Russell qualified. “What is important, is we must track down this signature, and apprehend who has taken our tech!”.

At that, Hector spoke up. “Wait, there’s no one we know that could have taken one of our gauntlets!” He paused, and looked at Miko. “That is . . . unless-?”.

“Oh no, no way, Fives!” Miko protested. “She got reset, remember? She’d never have any means to find her way back here, much less even to steal another one!”.

Russell turned to look at them. “She? Who is this . . . she, you speak of, _prosim?_ ”.

Phil answered for them, saying, “They’re talking about a girl named Ridley. She convinced them to let her be recruited as a Glitch Tech, but it was all so she could get some of our tech.” He quickly ran down the story, including how Ridley had abandoned them during a breach of their containment server, but then had come back to help save them all. “We then let her know she just wasn’t Glitch Tech material, so . . . we had her reset.”.

“Reset, hm?” Russell glanced at the duo, frowning. “Who did the reset, then?”.

“It wasn’t us,” Hector said.

“Yeah, Mitch wanted the ‘honor’ of doing it himself!” Miko made a disgusted sound, but it was sad at the same time. “Smug, little-!?” She broke off as she saw the sudden rise of anger in Russell’s face.

“You, let, Mitch, attempt to reset this Ridley!? Knowing the danger she presents as a breach to our--?!” He smacked the monitor aside and spun around to head for the door way. “ _Ach, pro lásku boží!_ Where is that _idiote chlapec_ now!?”.

Phil and the duo watched him storm off in shock, but the older adult quickly got hold of himself. “Russell, WAIT! What-!? Oh, CRUD! Come on you two!” He came out from around his desk, following the irate younger man out the door.

Miko and Hector were right behind him. “What’s going on, Boss!? Why is he so . . . mad? Especially at Mitch???”.

“Hello! Obvious-time, here!,” Phil said archly. “I’ve only ever seen Russell this mad before, just once,” he explained. “The last time it was about something that Mitch had done, too! So, we’d better be ready to stop World War Three, before it happens! Hurry!”

# xOx #

_Back in The Lobby, Glitch Tech HQ . . . ._

“So, there you have it. Just another example of how I’m the best out of everyone here,” Mitch Williams said; holding court in the lounge area, with Zahra and Nix listing -- or in this case, half-listening -- to him while the browsed the Info-Net on their gauntlets. “Thanks to those last few missions, My XP rating has never been higher!”

“Yay, for you,” Zahra said.

“A major accomplishment for the next century,” Nix added in a _sotto_ -voice, to which Zahra covertly grinned.

“Well, it better darn well should be,” Mitch said, the flex apparent in his tone. “It’s going to take a major action to put me off my groove now. Once I’ve recaptured my deserved spot atop the Leader-Board, nothing, is going to knock me off again! So let me tell you--!”.

“MITCH!”

The frosted-blonde teenager whipped around at the sound of his name; his eyes going wide at the sight of Russell, who was striding across the lobby with his exo-frame boots clanking against the floor with every step. “Wha--? Russell!?” He tried to recover, adding snidely, “So, finally decided to come out from the dark, cold corners of the workshop, eh? Haven’t seen you since-ALP!?!” Mitch’s snark was cut off, as Russell grabbed him by the front of his jacket and shoved him backwards; making him back peddle into a support column. “Wait?! What are you-!?”

“Quiet!” Russell snapped, his nostrils flaring as he snorted angrily. His other hand was cocked back, as if he was going to throw a punch. “Only thing you should be concerned with is Ridley!”

Scrabbling against the column at his back, Mitch’s eyebrows arched as he stared back at Russell in shock. “Ridley??? That . . .ooooh Boosh! What does that lil’ monster have to do with-!?”

“You know very well WHAT it has to do! My network detected an un-authorized Glitch-Tech signal, and . . . thanks to Phil and the others filling in story, I know now who it is that has stolen our tech.” He reared back and now his arm came up, clearly intending to land a blow on Mitch. “What I wish to know is WHY you let Ridley go . . . without, resetting, her, memory?!”

Nix and Zahra were on their feet. “Woah, woah, easy there!” Zahra cautioned. This doesn’t have to dissolve into a brawl!”.

“Not that I’m certain Mitch doesn’t deserve a good sock in the eye,” Nix muttered, before adding out loud, “There’s a little thing called a ‘No-Fighting-in-HQ’ rule, you two!” 

At that moment, Phil, Miko, and Hector came to a stop at the entrance to the lounge. Seeing the situation, Hector groaned. “Oh no! This isn’t good!”.

Phil nodded. “It’s worse,” he said, “and we need to stop this!”. He started to move forward, but a sudden barked command froze him and everyone else in place.

“ _Zastavení!_ “ His fist slowly lowered, but it never dropped completely. “Stop where you all are!” Russell’s eyes never left Mitch, even as the echo of his terse voice rolled across the common area. “This is to be settled between this Idiote and myself!”.

Mitch had finally gotten himself back under control, and was now glaring at Russell, while trying to pry his hand loose from his jacket. “What’s to settle here!? Last time I checked, you aren’t in charge around here!”.

“But I am in charge of our tech, Mitch Williams,” Russell snapped back. “Do you not comprehend damage a rogue individual can cause, left unchecked with our technology? At worst, could unmask our entire organization to public!”.

“Dude’s got a point, there. I don’t think the world is ready to learn that a global producer of technology is running a secret organization to stop video-game monsters from wrecking the world!” Hector said.

“Not to mention the existence of mind-wiping tech,” Zahra said dryly. “That can’t go over well with a LOT of people.”.

“Okay, Okay! I get the picture,” Mitch said. “Look, so I didn’t reset her! I admit it.”.

“Why?! Why did you do it?” Russell asked.

“The kid’s got moxie! Skill, and she, well . . . she reminds me of me! Do you really think I’d wipe a mind with that kind of talent out of existence!?” Mitch snapped.

“YOU of all people know the rule, Mitch!” Phil said. “We don’t let anyone who’s not with us just walk away without a reset!” He slapped his palm over his face with a groan.

“Wait, is Ridley going to be in trouble, because we didn’t reset her?” Hector asked. “More to the point, are WE going to be in trouble?!”.

“Considering the level of security this breaks,” Nix said, “I’d say all of us are going to be in trouble. Hinobi Corporate frowns on any sort of security break, and they’re infamous for how they . . . resolve such breaches in the first place!”

Phil nodded. “It’s how we’ve been able to operate without any problems. So far.”

“So, Guys . . . Guys! How do we fix this?” Miko asked. “I mean, ‘fix’ as in, ‘keep everyone from losing their jobs, and keeping Ridley from getting reset? For reals?”

Nearly everyone started speaking at the same time, and it would have dissolved into a regular riot, if not for Russell’s stern, single-spoken word:

“QUIET!”

Everyone stopped talking, turning to look at Russell.

“Better,” He said, before letting Mitch drop down to his feet. “Is hard to think with such a ruckus!”

“Think!? What are you saying?” Mitch asked.

Russell gave him a warning look, before he gestured to everyone else. “Argument and panic, or worse, is not helping our situation now.” He rubbed his chin, thinking hard. “Best to do now, is locate Ridley. Then, after learning what we can, we can decide what to do for her next.”

“What to do next!? Oh, BOOSH! There’s only one thing to do, Russell!” Mitch growled. “We reset the little demon, and confiscate all the stolen tech! Problem solved!”.

“As much as I’d hate to agree with Mitch,” Miko said, before pausing to mutter, “I can’t believe I just said that! I mean, is he right? IS that our only solution?”

Russell looked at her, arching one eyebrow questioningly. “ _Prosim?_ What do you mean?”

“She means, and I think I get it, too . . . can we afford to just reset and forget Ridley?” Hector asked. “I mean,” he explained further, “The only reason she wanted our tech, was because she’d been ‘moding’ and experimenting with Plixel Tech on her own. And she really was good at it!”

That got a look of surprise from Phil and Nix. “Wait, she’s had no formal training with Plixel Technology--?”

“Yet she’s able to hack it, and make her own creations from it!” Miko answered. “She cracked the core of her Hinobi console to do it.”

At that, Russell looked alarmed, as did Phil. “Woah-woah-WOAH! She modified the central core of a console!? And it didn’t glitch on her!?”

“Well . . . one of her creations did,” Miko admitted. “But, she’s had a lot of her creations become stable, functioning constructs. The girls a GENIUS! Even if we have to stop her, we shouldn’t just reset her without knowing just what she can actually DO first. That wouldn’t be fair to her!”

“Oh, you goody-goodie!” Mitch glared at Miko. “Life’s never fair.”

“Fair or not, I kinda agree with Miko,” Zahra said. “If the kid’s got talent and skills, shouldn’t she have a real chance to prove herself. I mean, to us, at least?”

Phil scowled. “But she infiltrated us, just to STEAL our tech! We can’t just overlook that fact.”

“Even so, Ridley proved she can handle working with Plixel Technology! That’s got to count for something, right?” Hector asked.

“Look, in the end, we’re responsible for the little gremlin and whatever Glitches her mucking around creates,” Mitch said, adding with a begrudging look at Russell. “We can’t let her run around unsupervised, not after all of this!”

“In a sense, Mitch Williams is right,” Russell said, looking up from where he’d been silent. “We cannot let Ridley just continue with her illegal work with Plixel-tech.” He paused and fixed Mitch with a glare. “However . . . that does not mean we should not attempt a different strategy to solve this problem.”

Everyone blinked in surprise. “Um, wait, what are you thinking now, Russell?” Phil asked.

Russell grinned -- an expression that unnerved Miko and Hector, and totally made Mitch look spooked! -- before saying, “Not to worry, Boss. I have something in mind.” He stepped over and took Mitch by the arm. “You, will come with me.”.

“Wait!? Me???” Mitch jerked his arm back, but found Russell’s grip to be unbreakable.

“Wait, where are you going with Mitch?” Hector asked.

“The two of us,” Russell explained, “are going to find this Ridley. What we will do . . . I will explain after we return. Come!”. As he dragged Mitch past Miko, Phil and the rest -- who were looking after them with various degrees of concern and worry -- he added, “The rest of you, wait here.”

Phil called after him, “Russell! Don’t do anything rash!”

“Not to worry, Phil Sir,” Russell said, before he continued onward, towing Mitch with him. “As for you, Mitch Williams . . . On the way, you will tell me EVERYTHING about this Ridley . . . .”

# xOx #

  
_The Vehicle Bay, Glitch Tech HQ . . . ._

Slamming the back doors to his Tech Van transport open, Mitch scowled at Russell. The taller teenager had re-assembled his wheelchair -- now using the under-layer of Plixels that formed the endo-frame support to stand -- and was stowing it in the back of the Van. He’d been brief with telling Russell everything he knew about Ridley, and now was seething as Russell had barely said a word since.

“I don’t see why I have to do this with you!” Mitch finally said hotly. “If you’re so interested in confronting the little lab-rat--?!”

“As you said,” Russell said sternly, “We must take responsibility for what you have done. As well, you must understand the depth of what we face here. Not just Ridley’s future hangs in balance. Also that of every Tech and employee here at this branch HQ.” As the chair settled into place, Russell turned and skewered Mitch with a searching look. “As such, before this goes further, we need to come to an . . . understanding, here.”

Mitch blinked. “An ‘understanding’? Just what are you saying?”

Facing him, Russell sighed. “You and I . . . our rivalry, it has a chance to disrupt this mission, and any further actions we take. I understand why you do what you did, back when we were both so close to winning the Hinobi Smash Tournament.”

“Augh, why are you bringing this up now?” Mitch asked. “That’s in the past! Don’t tell me you’re the type to hold a grudge?”

Russell chuckled. “A grudge? Ne . . . that wastes energy and time,” he said. “But, while I am not the time to hold past actions against someone, I will also never forget them.” He looked Mitch squarely in the eye. “If we are to bring this situation to a positive end -- without causing a breach in our security, nor giving the Main Office reason to pull the plug on our jobs -- you and I must, work, together.”

Mitch rolled his eyes. “Oh, Boosh, you know I don’t like working with other people! Unless it’s necessary-!” He broke off at the dark scowl on Russell’s face. “And . . . I guess this is necessary, right?” Seeing no brook in Russell’s posture, Mitch sighed. “Right. Okay, okay! I can play ball with you, for now.”

“Good,” Russell said. “Because I am taking charge from this point onward.”

Mitch blinked again. “Are you sure about that? You haven’t been out in the field since you were hired into the Repair Department,” he pointed out.

Russell pointed to his Tech Gauntlet. He tapped it, saying “I still have the expertise I learned from my first year as a Low Level Tech,” he said. “Plus, I’ve been told recently that I should . . . ‘stretch my legs’ more, _Ano?_ ”

“Good! I’m glad you listened to me!”

Both Mitch and Russell whipped around, staring around the corner of the Tech Van as Miko emerged into view. “Miko!? What are you doing here?” Mitch asked.

“What does it look like?” she said, pausing to adjust her Tech-Headset. “I’m going with!”

Russell shook his head. “Miko, this isn’t a standard mission,” he said. “It’s better that only a small team approach this, Ridley, and . . . you should really stay here, in case another emergency comes up.”

“I know, I know I should but . . . well, I should go with you two, because I’m partially to blame for what’s happened.”

At that, Russell shot a glance at Mitch -- who shrugged and snorted -- before asking her, “You? Responsible? But, Mitch--?”

“Mitch didn’t wipe her, yeah. That’s the truth, but I was the one who got her ‘recruited’ in the first place,” Miko said. She made a nervous gesture with her forefingers. “Look,” she said with a sigh, “Ridley wouldn’t have stolen our tech if it wasn’t for what happened after she and I first met. It was because of my indecisiveness that led to her Chomp-Kitty Dragon mod going Glitch! As well that I didn’t tell her the truth about me when we had to deal with that Glitch!” She looked up and stared hard at both Russell and Mitch. “So, if anyone’s got a real claim on being responsible for her, it’s me,” She said firmly. “I’ve got to help to make this right, and neither of you can talk me out of this!”

Russell sighed deeply, crossing his arms over his chest. “Miko . . . my _Králičina_ , this could go bad for any number of reasons,” he said. “I applaud your . . . determination, but--.”

“Russell,” Mitch said evenly. “If there’s one thing I’ve learned about Miko, is that she’s almost impossible to deter, once she’s made up her mind.” When they bracketed him with arched looks, he threw up his hands. “So, sue me! I may not always be in accord with her and her goody-goody partner,” he groused. “Still, I know when not to fight a lost cause! We might as well let her come along, or else we’re never going to get this mission done.”

Russell shook his head, before growling low in his throat and making a dismissive gesture. “Come. Both of you,” he said, pointing to the Van. “On the way, you can BOTH tell me the WHOLE story behind this . . . Ridley and her connection to our tech!” He started towards the driver’s side door, leaving both Mitch and Miko to follow.

As they both moved to the passenger’s side, Mitch muttered to Miko under his breath, “Just you remember I stuck my neck out for you!”

Miko nodded, pulling the door open to slip into the rear behind the seats. “You don’t have to tell me twice!”

**To Be Continued . . . .**  
.


End file.
